Length: 52.7cm (20.75in)
Weight: 3.6kg (7 lbs 15oz)
After the speedy not-so-much-as-an-aspirin birth of Emma, Krista vowed this time to leave plenty of time for the modern science of anesthetics to work its magic ...
It didn't happen. Kate arrived so quick that Krista had to tough it out as the frontier-style, valkyrie earth-mother with her too! Read on if you are curious how such a thing could come to pass:
| Friday evening | Krista has occasional contractions, not sure if labor is beginning. The contractions eventually stop. | Saturday noon | The occasional disorganized contractions return, a bit more uncomfortable this time. Remembering the monster lasagne feast she inadvertantly had before her last delivery, Krista opts for a light lunch this time instead. |
| 2pm | Contractions become more regular in nature. Seems like it could be the real deal. |
| 3pm | Contractions about ten minutes apart. Krista calls her doctor, waits for call-back, starts preparing to leave. |
| 3:30pm | Contractions drop to five minutes apart. |
| 4:11pm | On the road for the hospital, first contraction in the car. Subsequent ones at 4:16, 4:20, 4:24. |
| 4:48pm | At the hospital and in the room (See "Plenty of time" above). Starting to relax a little. |
| next hour | Strapped to monitor, they start taking history and such. After a while the Midwife on call comes in, declares Krista to be 4cm and 80% effaced, which means that we got there 2cm earlier this time. |
| 5:40pm | The contractions are now about two minutes apart and getting heavier (See "Coming Faster" Photo above). Krista tells the story of last time and says "I want an epidural!" They start an IV, and get some blood work started. |
| approx. 6:20pm | Apparently the numbing process can not start until they get the blood work back and finish putting in a liter of fluids. Unfortunately, the contractions have become continuous. When the Midwife checks her again, she say "Honey, you are going to have this baby without an epidural", to which Krista replies "Gosh Darn It!" or something similar ... |
| 6:35pm | Krista starts getting the urge to push soon afterwards, and in fact only needs about a half dozen such contractions to get the job done. Things got a little tricky though, because the cord was over Kates shoulder. There was a little pushing and pulling and ninja-like head twisting that looked positively horrifying to Dave, and didn't feel like sunshine and smiles to Krista, but got the job done. |
| 6:44pm | Kate emerges. |
| 6:50pm | Krista's OB arrives and delivers the placenta, just as with Emma, missing the score, but getting the assist. |
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